Making the Mac: 20 Vintage Apple Ads

From the curious introductory price of $666.66 to spreads featuring David Carson, old Apple and Mac ads are fascinating. On the practical side they also chart the swift evolution and perception of personal computers in America, as the conversation shifts from convincing potential users about the worth, utility and operation of the machines to the bolder tone Apple adopts as PCs become ubiquitous.

Mac Mothership, which maintains a fascinating archive of all things Apple, allowed us to dig through their collection of print ads. For more—and for larger versions, which are linked below—drop by the site.

Here we follow the trail of Apple ads that laid the foundation for the company prior to the bold palette dancing silhouettes and Feist videos that dominated in the early 2000s.

One of the first Apple ads. 1976. 4K RAM.

1976 Apple II Introduction Ad (1/2). “Now you’re ready for an evening of discovery in the new world of personal computers.”